Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[RockyMtn]

On our 60 year old course, I just had the pleasure of playing in the group witnessing a new course record 62, shot by a recent graduate of the current NCAA men's champion Oregon Ducks golf team. It could've been better, as he three putted (for par) from 30 feet and missed a three foot eagle. While you could say he made it look easy, hitting 17 greens, his ball flight was breathtaking to watch.

Go Ducks!

 

[pb4uski]

Our member/guest was today and tomorrow. I didn't sign up... I'm not that into tournaments and we had family in from out-of-town. It was a miserable cold and rainy day today and is forecasted to be the same tomorrow. I'm glad that I'm not out there.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Plus I'm sure you saved a few hundred bucks

 

[zinger1457]

Our member/guest was today and tomorrow. I didn't sign up... I'm not that into tournaments and we had family in from out-of-town.

I still occasional play in tournaments but have become a little frustrated with them at my club. I'm not good enough to compete with with the scratch golfers for gross score and too many sandbaggers that shoot 8-10 under for net score.

 

[pb4uski]

Plus I'm sure you saved a few hundred bucks

Only $50, believe it or not.. plus $75 for the guest so $125/team... for three rounds (including greens fees for the guest), prizes, etc.

I still occasional play in tournaments but have become a little frustrated with them at my club. I'm not good enough to compete with with the scratch golfers for gross score and too many sandbaggers that shoot 8-10 under for net score.

+1 too many sandbaggers out there so it is a waste to me... though I am in a spot where I have been playing well recently and much better than my index would suggest so perhaps I should have signed up but it is raining today too so I'm glad that i didn't.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Our member guest is about $1K to enter...another 1 to 3K if you buy your team. free booze and food for 3 days though, plus lots of schwag (shoes shirts tommy bahama sunglasses etc). payout for flight winners is about 500 - 6 teams per flight best ball match so 5 9 hole matches over 3 days then sudden death/shootout for Calcutta. shootout winer gets about 20k, sliding payout after that for top 10 in shootout


best tourn of year. buddy from htown flying in for it

 

[pb4uski]

I watched the women's U.S. Open conclusion this afternoon. On the second hole of a two-woman, three-hole playoff Anna Nordqvist was assessed a two-stroke penalty for grounding her club in a fairway bunker. The 'grounding' was that her club touched a 1/16" grain of sand that was clearly visible on video only when the replay was zoomed in so her clubhead was many times it normal size.

I think video is ruining the game. This infraction was called to the attention of the USGA officials by the television crew... they indicated that a cameraman noticed it. I presume that there is one or more officials that accompany the players in the playoff... if neither the officials see the infraction nor the competitor and the player does not call it on herself then it didn't happen. Spectators (including television commentators) don't count... now if an official or a competitor or even the player in question think an infraction may have occurred and request to view video to confirm or refute their suspicion then that is fair game to me.... but it is ridiculous that a fan can call in or a cameraman can initiate a review for a rules infraction... it is ruining the game.

What other game allows spectators to initiate video reviews for calls during the game? None that I can think of.

OTOH, I'm ok with the penalty assessed to Dustin Johnson during the last round of the U.S. Open where the ball moved ever so slightly when preparing to putt. However, that is a bit different in that Dustin himself noticed that the ball moved and alerted an official who thought not but then video was used to confirm that an infraction had taken place.

 

[Dwhit]

I see your point, but IMHO, a rule is a rule in golf. If there is evidence a rule was broken, the officials must take the appropriate action when called to their attention by whomever. They have to base their ruling on what actually happened, not on who identified the issue.

It can hurt the excitement and the drama of the competition, as it surely did in the women's US Open, but I don't see any other way it could have gone. The lady clearly grounded the club in the bunker.

 

[pb4uski]

Then we agree to disagree... I don't think a cameraman should be able to initiate a rules infraction... but you do. I suppose that you would be fine with a pedestrian issuing you a speeding ticket if you exceed the speed limit?

Another interesting question is however is, if a violation is not visible to the naked eye then is it a violation? I contend that anyone standing near to that player, even if they had outstanding eyesight and were looking for a potential violation, would not have noticed the club brushing that one particle of sand... if it is only noticeable when zoomed in high definition then did it really happen?

 

[Big_Hitter]

I see your point, but IMHO, a rule is a rule in golf. If there is evidence a rule was broken, the officials must take the appropriate action when called to their attention by whomever. They have to base their ruling on what actually happened, not on who identified the issue.

It can hurt the excitement and the drama of the competition, as it surely did in the women's US Open, but I don't see any other way it could have gone. The lady clearly grounded the club in the bunker.

Disagree - in golf, you call penalties on yourself, period. You don't have some yahoo with a camera saying that one grain of sand moved in the bunker. The purpose of that rule is so that you don't "test" the bunker with your club. Same thing goes for DJ; if he said he didn't make the ball move then that's it.


Last year I was playing in a match with an older guy and he double hit one out of the bunker. I asked him if that was a double hit and he said "no". We moved on.

 

[Dwhit]

Then we agree to disagree...

... if it is only noticeable when zoomed in high definition then did it really happen?

Yes, I guess we will just have to agreee to disagree, for now. In this case, the club touched the sand. It really happened. The USGA cannot ignore it once it happens. Perhaps they could issue a new rule to say they will not review video evidence unless there is a dipute between players or a dispute between a player and an official. I would be OK with that change.

 

[Dwhit]

Disagree - in golf, you call penalties on yourself, period.

That is preferable, but its not always the case in tournament golf. There its not that unusual for a penalty to come from an official, and not the player themselves.

 

[zinger1457]

Another problem I have with the video review of possible rules violations is that it's not a level playing field for all players. Maybe 90% of the field during a tournament would never or rarely come under scrutiny because they aren't being videoed closely. The top players, McIlroy, Speith, Day, Mickelson, and maybe a few others have cameras on them (and usually up close) for every shot.

 

[pb4uski]

Agreed... the risk of an inadvertent violation that is not noticed by the player, their competitor or a rules official (like in the grain of sand yesterday) is much higher for the top players who are on camera more. I can see video being used to clarify suspected violations, but the way it is misused today is stupid.

 

[Big_Hitter]

on the other hand, those cameras sure come in handy finding balls

 

[zinger1457]

Congratulations Henrik! That was one of the most entertaining final rounds I've seen in a major in a long time. Watching the two leaders battle it out together and playing at the top of their game, doesn't get much better than that.

 

[pb4uski]

+1 Got to feel sorry for a guy that shoots a 65 in the final round of The Open and still gets beat but 2 strokes for the day and 3 for the tournament. What a great match.

 

[FIREmenow]

Stenson was POSSESSED!

 

[Dawg52]

Stenson has been a great ball striker for quite some time. The difference this week was his putter. He putted great. What a match......Phil shoots -17 and loses by 3.

 

[Huston55]

It's been a great year for golf thusfar. The drama of the women's & men's NCAA championships and now one of the best Open Championships ever.

Makes me look forward to the PGA Championship & Olympics with great anticipation.

 

[Big_Hitter]

won a tournament match 2 and 1 yesterday

shot a 90 with 8 penalty strokes

good 90!

 

[jjquantz]

That's what's great about match play, you only have to play well enough to win. Congratulations.

 

[golfnut]

For the 1st time, went ahead and bought some (5A) recycled balls from GolfBallsDirect.com. Balls are in mint condition. Came out to about $9 per dozen - mixture of Callaway Supersofts, Wilson Duos and TM RBZ urethanes. Highly recommend this outfit (they are out of Florida) if you are looking to save some coin.

 

[Dawg52]

I pulled out my old Ping Eye 2 irons and played them just for the heck of it this morning. I forgot how well they hit. When Ping came out with these back in the 80's, they were certainly ahead of the rest. The only real difference in them and some of today's irons are they have weaker lofts. I do have to hit one more club compared to my normal set. Gonna keep them in the bag for a round or two.

 

[Big_Hitter]

For the 1st time, went ahead and bought some (5A) recycled balls from GolfBallsDirect.com. Balls are in mint condition. Came out to about $9 per dozen - mixture of Callaway Supersofts, Wilson Duos and TM RBZ urethanes. Highly recommend this outfit (they are out of Florida) if you are looking to save some coin.

doesn't rockbottomgolf have some good deals on new balls? I think the precept laddies are less than $1 a ball new